The medical economy of makeshifts

Author(s):  
Steven King

This chapter tries to situate parochial medical welfare within the wider medical economy of makeshifts. It argues that paupers engaged in a three strand set of responses to illness in addition to their negotiation of parochial relief. Sometimes they explored medical avenues (for instance charitable treatment by doctors) which shadowed the response of parishes; sometimes they explored avenues which complemented parochial activity; and sometimes (for instance through self-dosing and self-help clubs) they explored avenues which substituted for parochial spending. The chapter concludes that the medical welfare traceable in Old Poor Law records was a small subset of that garnered by the poor.

Author(s):  
George R. Boyer

This chapter traces the roles played by the Poor Law, charity, and self-help from 1834 to 1870. Workers responded to the reduced availability of outdoor relief after 1834 by increasing their saving and joining friendly societies, but few were able to save more than a small amount, which was exhausted by spells of unemployment or sickness lasting more than a few weeks. As a result, many households continued to apply for poor relief during downturns, and urban Poor Law unions continued to provide outdoor relief to the unemployed despite pressure not to from the central administration. Unions proved unable to cope financially with the sharp increases in demand for relief during crises, and by the 1860s many were convinced that the system required a radical restructuring.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (8) ◽  
pp. 236-240
Author(s):  
Dr.R. Murugesan ◽  
M. Leelavathi ◽  
Dr. K. Ravindran

towards jumping from the category of developing economy to developed economy there is one big factor that stops and poses a hindrance in its path of advancement and that obstacle is termed as Poverty. The Indian economic policy focuses on a high growth rate along with a equal participation of the poor so that they avail the opportunities available in the market economy. And in order to ensure the participation of the poor it has become important for the country to create a platform where the poor can easily access the various financial products. Microfinance is one such strategy for inclusive growth. Microfinance can change the life of the poor though not completely but a reasonable change can be ensured. In different phases of life women play a crucial role despite the discrimination that is faced by them. But equality can be endowed to women by enhancing the entrepreneurial skills in them. This is possible through Self Help Groups (SHGs). In India women produce around 30% of the total food consumed but she gets only 10% of the property or wealth of the country. Development of women is inevitable for the development and growth of any economy. SHGs happen to be a positive step in this direction. Along with these mediums there should be a cheap and easy source of credit for them and Microfinance fulfills the requirement. This study aims to find the role of this strong medium of Microfinance in the advancement of SHGs in India


2014 ◽  
pp. 33-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis Darwen

The census enumerators' books (CEBs) have provided fertile ground for studies of workhouse populations in recent years, though it has been acknowledged that work remains to be done on different regions and periods to develop our understanding of these institutions and the paupers who resided therein. This article will examine the indoor pauper populations of the Preston union, in Lancashire, over three census years from 1841. The region, which is notable for a protracted campaign of resistance to the New Poor Law and its associated workhouse system, has been previously neglected in studies of workhouse populations focusing on the decades immediately after the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. It will be shown that the profile of the union's workhouse populations broadly mirrors those found elsewhere at the aggregate level, but that important variations reflected local and central policy. A high concentration of able-bodied paupers—in particular—seems to indicate ideas governing local policy which were not carried out elsewhere.


Rural History ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Robin

The welfare state emerged in 1948 when the National Assistance Act finally abolished the New Poor Law Forty-two years later, as politicians and bureaucrats struggle to keep increasing expenditure within bounds, the existence of the welfare state in its present form is under threat. Just over 150 years ago, the Old Poor Law was presenting parish ratepayers with a similar problem of rising costs, leading in 1834 to a fundamental reorganisation into the New Poor Law It may therefore be profitable to see how effective in practice the New Poor Law was when it replaced a system widely regarded as profligate, and to consider the extent to which benefits payable through the welfare state were available a hundred years or more ago.This study examines in detail how the New Poor Law, and other forms of relief, affected the whole population of the rural parish of Colyton, in south Devonshire, during the thirty years from 1851 to 1881. It will first describe the sources from which a poor person in Colyton in the mid nineteenth century could look for relief; next discuss how widespread poverty was and who the poor were; then look at what kinds of relief were available, under what conditions; and finally assess the comparative importance to the poor of the different agencies providing assistance.


BMJ ◽  
1910 ◽  
Vol 2 (2594) ◽  
pp. 742-748
Author(s):  
J. H. Keay
Keyword(s):  
Poor Law ◽  
The Poor ◽  

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